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Fruit and Egg Carrier. No. 234,141. KB Patented Nov. 9, I880.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFicE.

LEVI H. PAGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN HENRY FRERK, OF SAME PLACE.

FRUIT AND'EGG CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,141, dated November 9, 1880. Application filed March 13, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, LEVI H. PAGE, of Ohicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Fruit and Egg Carrier; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and make use of the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is theiinproved construction of a cheap, durable, and convenient device for shipping eggs, fruit, 850.; and it consists of certain novel features in the arrangement of the several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, and set forth in the claims.

Figured is a view in perspectiy'e; Figs. 2 and 3, detached sections; Fig. 4 a plan view, and Fig.5 a detached section in detail.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a tray or rack composed of a series of thin wooden slats which are connected together by inortise-and-tenon joints, adapting the parts to interlock with each other, and are arranged to form the cells or compartments a a a, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

The slats 5, composing the series of divisions or sections in one direction, are formed of a single piece having the bifurcated wedgeshaped ends 6, the notches 7, and the rectangular slots 8, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The division-slats running at right angles to the slats 5 are composed of the upper slats, S), and the lower slats, 10, having wedge-shaped ends 11 and the notches 12 onthe outside edges of both the upper and lower slats, the same as that shown and described in connection with the slats 5. The slats 9 are of the form shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and these slats, in connection with the duplicate slats 10, form the inside divisions in'one direction, and are arranged edgewise in a vertical plane in their respective order, leaving a small intervening space between the inside edges.

The four slats 13, forming the outside square of the tray A, and to which all the other slats are attached, are all of the form shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, one end being bifurcated, wedge-shaped, and notched, the other end left square and provided with the slots 14 for the reception of the alternate tenoned end of a duplicate outside slat. The central apertures, 15, in the outside slats, 13, are for the reception of the ends of the inside slats, and are made a little smaller than the apertures in the inside slats, 5, so that when the wedge-shaped ends are inserted these parts form a close engagement, and are easily forced or sprung together, and are securely locked and held in proper position by means of the edges of the slats 13 engaging with the notches in the ends of the series of slats entering into the construction of the rack.

The loose division-slat 16, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, is one of a series of slats that arelaid flat between the different trays for the purpose of dividing the trays in a vertical plane when they are filled and arranged one above the other. The ends of these slats are cut down to form the shoulders 17, adapting the same to engage with the inner edges of the two outside slats running at right angles thereto.

The two outside slats, supporting the ends of the division-slats 16, are cut away at regular intervals to form the rectangular notches 18, as shown in Fig. lot the drawings, so as to allow the division-slats 16 to drop below the immediate edge of the same and have a hearing on the upper inside slats, 9.

The series of slats forming the trays are put together in the following manner: Take one of the outside slats, 13, running parallel to the slats 5, and then in regular order the required number of the slats 5; next pass the upper slats, 9, and the lower slats, 10, through the upper and lower apertures, respectively, in the slats 5, and having the ends of the slats 9 and 10 engage with the outside slat in the manner already described, and finally attach the three remaining outside slats in their regular order, and the tray is completed.

The mortises or apertures in the several slats are considerably wider than the tenons on the joining slats, which form of construction readily permits of the tray being flattened or folded in the manner shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

This form of construction permits of a free circulation of the air through the different trays, when arranged one above the other, and when the trays are employed for shipping goods they are inclosed by a suitable perforated box, for the purpose of insuring a thorough ventilation.

Boxes of different sizes will be used, according to the size and number of trays to be placed in each box, and then filled or packed with goods by putting one of the trays in the box, filling the cells with the articles being packed, and when one tray is full place the loose division-slats 16in proper position, then place a second tray on top of the first one, and so continue in regular order until the box is filled with trays.

Any material that will be found suitable for the purpose may enter into the construction of these trays or racks, but a light veneering of wood is preferably employed. Wood is cheaper, lighter, and much more durable for this purpose than straw-board, and these trays are not unpleasantly atfected or destroyed by broken eggs or damp goods, as the strawboard cases are.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an egg-carrier, the combination, with the slats 9 and 10, arranged edgewise in avertical plane in their respective order, provided with the wed ge-shaped ends 11 and the notches 12, of the series of slats 5, running at right angles thereto, and provided with the rectangular apertures 8, for the reception of the slats 9 and 10, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In an egg-carrier, the combination, substautiall y he'reinbefore described, with the outside slats, 13, provided with the central apertures, 15, and havin gone end bifurcated,wedgeshaped, and notched, and the opposite end square and provided with apertures 14, thereby adapting these parts for the reception of each alternate end of the outside slats, of the slats 9 and 10. and the slats 5, all constructed and arranged as herein set forth.

3. In an egg-carrier, the combination of the division slat or slats 16, having both ends tenoned to form the shoulders 17, ot' the outside slats running at right angles thereto, pro vided with the rectangular notches 18, and the slats 9, the slats 5, and the slats 13, substantially as described.

LEVI H. PAGE.

Witnesses J OHANN H. FRERK, L. B. COUPLAND. 

